Italian Hospitality

 

We have TWO favourite Italian B&B’s, although we have stayed in many other very good places during our many car tours since we first explored Tuscany and Umbria in 2001.

 

THE ‘PICK’ FROM BIELLA-VENICE-MATERA-OTRANTO-MESSINA-SICILY-ROME-FLORENCE & MORE

 

Although we obviously have not ‘covered’ the whole of Italy, we have explored from Biella in the far Northwest, and Bergamo and Venice in the far Northeast, almost right down both coasts, covering both ‘heel’ and ‘toe’.  From there to Sicily, with four main places visited, and the inland explored. We have also driven down Italy’s central ‘spine’, mostly on country roads.

 

TWO PLACES WE MISSED

 

Sadly, due to my bad health, we had to cancel our proposed first stay in the Dolomites this year; and in 2016 we had to change our route through The Marche because of the bad earthquakes taking place there.  Otherwise, our blogs in www.dreamitdriveiteurope.com cover a lot of Italian ground!

 

WE PREFER TO STAY WITH PEOPLE!

 

We have almost exclusively stayed in private B&B’s.  This is because we like to get to know the people and their way of life.  We have made many good, lasting friends this way, and been given much generous hospitality.  We believe there are only three ways to get to know a country.  That is discovering it’s landscapes and buildings, it’s culture be it music, art, but especially food, but primarily through it’s people and visiting their homes.

 

WE HAVE ENJOYED MARVELLOUS HOSPITALITY

 

But there are TWO venues that deserve special mention.  Not just for the attractiveness and scrupulous cleanliness of the rooms we have stayed in repeatedly, or their convenient locations.  No – WHAT MAKES THESE TWO B&Bs special is the welcome and kindness of the owners.  These hosts will habitually go that extra mile to please all their guests.  Both are in the sunny south:

  

 

POMPEI

 

POMPEI has, just a five-minute walk from the site of ANCIENT POMPEII, the B&B La Casa di Plinio, now rated No. 1 Hotel on trip Advisor. Although it isn’t a hotel – it’s much too intimate for that.

They have obviously earned their No.1 place from all the ecstatic revues from their guests.

La Casa di Plinio appears more than once in our blogs – because we have stayed there five times, and also taken a friend to visit.

Martina and her partner Vincenzo, her brother Salvatore, and their glamorous mother Antonella, and warm-hearted father Andrea all greet us as ‘famiglia’.  Whenever we arrive everyone, apart from Andrea, who works in Naples, all rush from even their local jobs to hug and kiss us and regale us with wonderful coffee or wine.  And they held a special dinner for us on our 40^th Wedding Anniversary.

I suspect we are not the only auxiliary members of their family…  Does it stretch to hundreds?

The rooms are spacious and well appointed; the beds all very comfortable, and the showers ‘shower’ copious hot water.

There are lots of snow white, fluffy towels, and very nice toiletries.

Breakfasts are designed to provide something familiar for all folk of different nationalities.

We have truly grown to love our Italian ‘famiglia’.  They are very special, big-hearted people who put love into their business.  You cannot go wrong if you book with

https://www.lacasadiplinio.com/en/homepage/

 

 

 

 

TRULLI IN CASALINI

 

Trulli (medieval beehive houses) in Casalini are special, in that they are situated in the countryside.

 

BETTER VALUE OUTSIDE ALBEROBELLO?

 

Trulli are generally looked for in Alberobello.  It is true there is quite a ‘small town’ cluster of them at the bottom of that town – and a small street or two at the top.  While an attractive place, we have found Alberobello increasingly ‘touristy’; packed with people shuffling from house to house.  And I’m guessing that to stay in a trullo there may be quite expensive.

 

LA RIPOSO DEL VENTO – AN IDYLLIC SMALL COMPLEX

 

Which is why in 2009 we elected to stay in a small complex I found on the Internet.  We were so glad that we did.

Set in a lovely garden, with a swimming pool and barbecue, our little trullo (for two) had a jasmine tree right outside the door.  We ate breakfast beneath it.

 

WE HAD OUR OWN ‘ENTERTAINING’ PATIO

 

At the back was a large patio with table seating six, plus two loungers. Inside was a mini-kitchen – and a good wet room to the side.  There were about four single trulli like ours.  Also close by, a ‘treble’ that slept six people.  All were attractively furnished and very comfortable.

 

BREAKFASTS – EVERY MORNING A FEAST

 

Breakfasts were set out in the kitchen next door.  There was always fresh fruit, (I remember a huge bowl of cut strawberries) – a large bowl of fresh yoghourt, a selection of charcuterie and cheeses and very good bread.  Not just that – every day a selection of homemade cakes.  The cook-housekeeper, Bea, would also cook Polish bacon and eggs, or apple puffs and other hot treats.

 

 

FRANCESCA – CARING MOTHER, ARCHITECT, HOSTESS

 

Francesca is the hostess but also the architect who restored these lovely little huts.  She has achieved all this while growing a family of four lovely kids.  Her husband, Mario, does all the maintenance. When we took a friend to view the trulli in 2016 he was working on a gracious extension to his own house.

We were invited back for two nights a Francesca’s guests.

If you welcome the peace of the countryside, then do investigate

Riposo del Vento B&B: Home www.riposodelvento.it/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text by – Jackie Usher, SWWJ. (aka author Debbie Darkin, & ‘Graham Liverpool’ on Trip Advisor.)
Photographs by – Graham Usher.  And a big thank you for the use of Photographs from La Casa di Plinio & Riposo del Vento’s websites.